Novelty utility article



1956 K. B. ROLLIVNS ETAL 2,769,550

NOVELTY UTILITY ARTICLE Filed March 31, 1952 INVENTQRS MARK L ROLLJNSKAT$1NE BECK ROLLINS United States Patent a NOVELTY UTILITY ARTICLEKathrine Beck Rollins and Mark L. Rollins, Valley Stream, N. Y.

Application March 31, 1952, Serial No. 279,564

1 Claim. (Cl. 211-11) This invention relates to improvements in noveltyutility articles providing receptacle means and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved noveltyutility article having a number of walls defining individualcompartments for the reception of goods, stationery merchandise, mailand the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvednovelty utility article in which there are pairs of walls interconnectedby spacing webs to form substantially upwardly open receptaclecompartments, each adjacent pair of said walls being in turninterconnected at upper edges by integrating webs to define a continuousseries of combined cooperative receptacle compartments.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvednovelty utility article in which there is a plurality of upstandingwalls, each wall spaced from adjacent walls, alternate walls beinginterconnected at the bottom by integrating webs, or at the top, to forman undulating assembly defining a series of alternating upwardly openreceptacle recesses for the reception of articles, mail, and the like,with shelf means extending from selected walls for supporting discretearticles and the like thereon.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel utilityarticle of the type described, in which longitudinal leg means issecured to all the lower interconnecting webs and providing means uponwhich said article is both supported and may be moved slidably over anysupporting surface.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a novel utilityarticle of the type described, which is'formed of a single main sheet ofmaterial with a series of major upstanding corrugations and undulationsalong its length, defining a series of upwardly open receptacle recesseshaving smoothly contoured walls, forward and rearward upper marginalportions of the first and last of said corrugations forming lip-likeshelves for the support of discrete articles, and/or time indicatingmeans.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel utility article ofthe type described, in which said major assembly of continuousundulations is supported on a support assembly comprising frame anddrawer means, the drawer means being slidably retractable to afiordaccess to the interior thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novelty utilityarticle of the type described, which is simple in design, inexpensive tomanufacture, attractive in appearance, and highly effective for itsintended purposes.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description of a preferred embodimentthereof as illustrated in the accompanying illustrations, forming a parthereof, and in which,

Figure l is a perspective view showing a preferred form of theinvention, with two compartments.

Figure 2 is a right end elevational View of the device shown in Figure1, as seen on plane 2-2 of Figure 1.

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Figure 3 is a perspective view showing another modified form of theinvention, with several compartments.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, but showing a modifiedform of the invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing another modified form of theinvention.

in the manufacture and use of novelty utility articles variousconsiderations must predominate, depending upon the desires of themanufacturer and the ultimate consumer or user thereof. Where, forexample, incoming mail is to be sorted and arranged in accordance withany desired pattern of the user, it is important that such sorting meansbe simple and convenient and at the same time constructed so as to beattractive in appearance while retaining its full utilitarian purposesand facilities. The present invention discloses such a novelty utilityarticle, which is quite attractive in appearance, yet is so constructedthat not a whit is subtracted from its appearance in the course ofproviding for full utilitarian objectives. It not only permits sortingof any generally planar articles and objects, not restricted to mailalone,

in one or more discrete and plainly visible compartments, but also, asdesired, may provide for the storage of other articles in a novelmanner.

in order to understand clearly the nature of the invention, and the bestmeans for carrying it out, reference may now be had to the drawings, inwhich like numerals denote similar parts throughout the several views.

As seen best in Figures 1 and 2, there is a major assembly generallyindicated at it which has a first upstanding wall 12, which may beformed of sheet material of suitable rigidity or stiliness, such asplastic, metal, compositions, or other materials, and has an upper edge14 bounded by vertical side edges 16 and 18, and terminating in itslower marginal portion 2% in a curved web 24. However, as seen in Figure4, such wall 32a may be smoothly curved somewhat as shown. The lowermarginal portion 38 of the wall 32 is smoothly integrated with thecurved web 40 which then turns upwardly smoothly for integration withthe fourth wall 42, which again is shown in Figures 1 and 2 as planar.

Ball feet 44, 46, 43 and 5:), formed of the same material as the walls18, 24, 32 and 42, may be secured to the curved webs 22 and 4% of thedevice shown in Figures 1 and 2, by means of cement, adhesives, or otherfastening means, or may be cast integral therewith. The lower portionsof the ball feet are all brought into a common plane, so that they willall make equal contact with a table top or other supporting surface whenthe device is placed thereon. When in use, it is seen that the devicemay be placed on a table top with its ball feet resting thereon, as inFigures 1 and 2, or with its curved webs 22a and ila resting thereon asin Figure 4 in case the balls such as :4 are omitted,

A pair of compartments or receptacles 52 and 54 are thus formed, whichare not only upwardly open, but also open at each end, and mail,envelopes, stationery, or the like may be disposed therein, as at 69,resting on the walls 24 and 4-2 in the manner shown, and on the webs 22and 49. By making the walls plastic and transparent, it is easy to seeat a glance just what mail has arrived, and the user may also makesuitable identifying notaof articles, clips, and the like.

. 3 tions thereon, as for example, the notation MAIL on the wall 12, andMr. John Doe, and the notation Mrs. Eohn Doe being shown on the secondwah 42, on the upper margin thereon. By sloping the walls and curvingthem somewhat, as seen in Figure 4, the appearance is somewhat enhanced,and in addition, the envelopes may be arranged to incline somewhat moretoward the rear for increased stability.

Referring now to Figure 3, it is seen that there is a I plurality ofsuch walls 1.8.), 24-5, 325, 42b,etc., which correspond generally to theconstruction shown in Figures 1 and 2. However it is seen that there aremore than two compartments, the number of compartments being in-' ofFigures 1 and 2, or the tubular runners like 76in Figure. .3, we employthe bottom drawer assembly 1045;

for this purpose, lending weight and stability thereto, and providingadditional utility features. Theupper compartmented portion of the unitmay have the walls 120,

24c, 420, etc., corresponding to the similarly numberedv walls andconstruction of Figures, 1, 2 and 4, and or may be formed like thewalled assembly of Figure 3, omitting however, the runners 76 and78.

creased by the addition of integrated upstanding walls 62, 64, 66, and63, with curved webs 70, 72 and 74 interconnecting them as shown.Further it is seen that there are tubular cylindrical runners or legs 76and 78 secured to all the lower end webs 22b, 40b, 70 and 74, either bymolding, adhesively, or otherwise, maintaining them in rigid array. Therunners 76 and 78 are substantially parallel as shown, and their loweredges lie in a 7 common plane, so that they will not scratch or mar thetable top on which they rest.

At the same time, they are hollow cylinders, and may have variousarticles, such as pencils, pens and the like, inserted through theiropen ends for ready use when a needed. The front walllZb has itsupper'margin bent smoothly forwardly as at 80, and 'thence downwardly asat 82 and upwardly as at 84, to form a trough 86 to receive smallarticles, pencils, paper clips, and the like 88. At the same time, therear wall 63 may have its upper margin 90 upturned and then downturnedas at 92, and thence formed into a planar trough bottom 94, withupturned lip 96, terminating in an upstanding wall portion 98,containing a clock 1 30. The trough 94 may be employed to hold suitableimplements 102, pencils, pens and the like as needed.

. Referring now to Figure 5, it is seen that there is a 7 bottomassembly 104 formed in the general shape of a .7 boX, with top wall 106,back wall 108, bottom wall 110,

Although we have described our invention in specific terms, it will beunderstood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materialsand arrangement without departing from the'spirit and scope of theinvention i as claimed. 7

We claim: 7

A novelty utility rack consisting of a plurality of mutually spaced maincompartment walls all of which are mutually parallel and formed of rigidsheet material,

curved floor web walls integral with and interconnecting lower portionsof adjacent main compartment walls to form successive upwardly opencompartments, curved top'web walls integral with and interconnectingupper portions of adjacent main compartment walls of successivecompartments to form an undulating upwardly open, serially'successiveplurality of spaced compartments integral with each other, a pair ofhollow tubular support runners disposed in mutually parallel array belowsaid" floor web walls and secure thereto for supporting the same, afirst integral shallow rack lip trough carried by;

one of said main compartment wallsat its upper end for supportingarticles, a second integral shallow rack lip trough carried by anotheror said main compartment walls at its upper end for supportingarticles,said first and second rack lip troughs being carried by main compartmentwalls at opposite ends of said utility rack so as to extend in oppositedirections outwardly therefrom, and

an upstanding stub wall integral with said second rack'lip trough with asocket formed in said stub wall and adapte for supporting articlesseated in said socket.

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.161,591 Payer Jan. 9, 1951 238,117 'Hillman Feb. 22, 1881' 600,879Louden' Mar. 22, 1898 648,311- Stiehl Apr. 24, 1900 1,659,509 AshbrookFeb. 14, 1928 2,023,150 Ritchie Dec. 3, 1935 2,249,265 Bauder July 15,1941 2,604,724

Watts July 29, 1952

